Mountain Lion with hounds…a bucket list hunt

[jpc01101]

Back in November an outfitter I had used previously posted that they had a couple lion hunt cancellations for a pretty decent deal. Talked to the wife and she said “hell yeah we need a lion full body mount” so I booked it.
Didn’t really know what to expect but I was hoping I’d be able to get over the pass to even get there if this winter was anything like last winter. Spoiler alert, this winter was nothing like last winter. I began to get nervous as I watched the weather for Whitebird ID show warm temps and no snow in the weeks leading up to my hunt. The outfitter texted a week before the hunt and asked if my schedule was flexible to push out a couple weeks, which was a solid move that he wouldn’t have had to do. My schedule wouldn’t allow it so I said let’s give it a whirl. Flew into Missoula and was discouraged to see that I barely needed long sleeves, grabbed a rental car, stopped for 12 Dirt Church hazys and off I went over Lolo pass and down to Whitebird. Got to camp in time to grab a bite to eat and crash for the night. Started first light the next day. This is a couple of the hounds on the morning of day one. For a spoiler you can see the condition of the truck and box…mud.

 

[jpc01101]

Spent the next three days looking for and finding a few cold cold tracks. A ton of bobcat sign and too much wolf sign but very little lion sign. Dogs worked a few tracks but lost them pretty quickly in the open ground without much snow. Mud was the theme, a Honda Pioneer with tracks is a slick rig in the snow but in the mud it will absolutely cover you. Even with all that the country was absolutely spectacular, just beautiful.

 

[jpc01101]

The morning of day 4 started off with more of the same. We were at a ranch and some surrounding state ground that actually had some snow but it was old and crusty. A couple hours in we see a nice lion track and let the lead dog out to have a look. He followed it for a couple hundred yards and then lost it. The track was probably 3-4 days old. We headed off in the general direction that the tracks went to see what we could find. Cut the same track at the top of the mountain and the dogs lost it again but we had a general trajectory so we kept looking.

 

[jpc01101]

We were on an established trail headed in the same general direction we thought the cat was headed when the dogs struck out of the box. And when I say struck I mean they went ballistic. I thought they might turn the SxS over it was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. I said “boy that must be a hot track” to the guide and he said “no way that isn’t a track that’s a cat”. He quickly let the hounds out and we were off to the races.
He brought a pup with us that day and it was having trouble keeping up so we had to stop and get her back on track. Next thing you know the dogs are showing treed 500 yards away.

 

[jpc01101]

We drove about 100 yards and grabbed our stuff for the chase. About 400ish yards later I’m standing under a tree looking up at one of the coolest things I have ever seen.

 

[jpc01101]

When I was 10 I shot my first deer with a Winchester Cowboy commemorative 30-30 that my Dad got for his 18th birthday. I thought it would be cool to use that gun on my first lion hunt.
I’m standing under the tree and work the lever to load a round and it takes some extra force, I had to actually squeeze the lever in to close the action. Oh well, no big deal, so I took aim and shot. Perfect shot (which it should have been from 15 yards probably) center mass. Lion jumps from tree as I work the lever to load another round except it won’t close as I fiddle with it the firing pin literally falls into the crusty snow. Thank goodness I made a good first shot as there wasn’t going to be a second, not with that gun at least.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Super jealous!
Always wanted to do this - curious if it tasted very good.

 

[jpc01101]

My 6yo son made me a good luck charm before I left home and I guess you could say it worked. 40 yards from the bottom of the tree laid an amazing animal that I had only dreamed of being able to see, let alone harvest.

 

[jpc01101]

 

[jpc01101]

In the end I can honestly say that the shot and kill wasn’t anywhere near the high point of the hunt. Watching the hounds and my guide work together was nothing short of impressive. Seeing the cat directly above me and getting to take in just how strong they are was an experience I will never forget. Wish I had just thrown ice balls at it to get it to jump so we could have done it all again.

 

[jpc01101]

I did the skinning myself, took the rear quarters and back straps. Haven’t eaten them yet but will report back when we give them a try. It is beautiful meat, I’m guessing it will be good.

 

[jpc01101]

To be continued…

 

[jpc01101]

To circle back around to Dad's old lever gun. A gunsmith in Victor, MT was nice enough to take a look at it and turns out the finger lever pin stop cap had rattled loose over the years and the finger lever pin had fallen out after the cap was gone. He didn't have the parts but we got it generally back together and taped it shut for the ride home. Ordered the parts earlier this week and will have them this weekend so the old cowboy commemorative will be back up and firing. Think I'll take it with me for spring bear.

 

[LuketheDog]

Make a rug!

 

[jpc01101]

Make a rug!

I thought about it, I am loving the idea of a full body mount, it is at my local taxidermist as I type this. If I ever get another I think I'll just have it soft tanned and hang it by its nose. I have a couple bear done that way.

 

[Trial153]

Thanks for sharing it. You got the full experience for sure. Nothing like a good hunt with hounds!

 

[buffybr]

Make a rug!

@jpcoll01, Congrats on your lion. Great story!

When I lived in Steamboat Spgs in the early '70s, the local Game Warden had a Mtn Lion rug hanging on the wall of his living room that you could see driving by his house. Seeing that lion started me on a 40+ quest of buying a lion tag with the hopes of sjust seeing one and then being able to shoot it.

Over the years I saw a half dozen or so lions (3 within 1/4 mile of my house), but none that I could shoot.

Then in 2015 I finally decided that if I really wanted a lion I would have to hire an outfitter with hounds to get one. So I booked a hunt with JT Robbins out of Fruita, CO, and I got my lion the first day out.

I had my first Black Bear rug mounted, and its been on my wall for 50 years, but I like full mounts better. 2015 was my year of cats as I got both my Mtn lion and a Mozambique Leopard that year. I had full mounts done of both of them. The form for my Mtn lion mount looks like the one pictured above, except I had my taxidermist give it a slight open mouth. I am very happy with the way it turned out. Now I just need more wall space to hang him...

 

[WIbiggame]

Awesome story thanks for sharing it with us all! You definitely earned that lion and your pictures are awesome!

 

[Hawk Tuah]

So awesome!!!

 

[Hawk Tuah]

I prefer cats walking down, like the manikin you showed, and the beautiful cat @buffbr showed.

Ben and Brenda at Lifelike Taxi, Carmen, ID.